"Daddy, who's with mommy?" Cassie inquired as they took a break from soccer. Edward peered through the sliding glass door to see who was accompanying Cassandra. When he saw Anthony holding a gun to his wife's head, his eyes widened. "F*ck, how is he still alive?" he grumbled as he noticed Anthony saying something to her and seeing her nod.
Edward stood up and dashed over to the door. He attempted to open it, but it was locked from within. He muttered and dashed to the front door. He yanked on it, but it was also locked. He returned to the backyard and saw Mark banging on the sliding glass door, yelling for it to open up.
He then realized he was carrying his house keys in his pocket. "Follow me!" he exclaimed.
They all dashed to the front door, where he unlocked it and ran in.
"Leave her alone, Anthony!" he yelled. As he turned the gun's safety off, he noticed tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Please," Cassandra begged. Seeing her in this state broke his heart slightly. While Anthony still had the gun pressed against her head, she was being held back by one of Anthony's men.
"Why should I? She'll be happier with me. She won't have to worry about being a mom and having kids. She'll be mine forever," he justified, tapping the gun on her head at the last second, causing her to gasp.
"You want her to be with you forever, but look what you're doing right now. Threatening to shoot her in the bed? That's practically not love, you're just obsessed with my wife, not to mention you always lie to her, abuse her, and torture her. Why would she want that?" Edward retorted. He looked surprised and just stared him down.
He removed the gun from her head and pointed it at Edward. "Don't do it, Anthony. You're better than that... I know you are," he said. He looked behind him and saw Cassie watching the whole thing unfold, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Edward returned his gaze to Anthony, who had turned around and noticed Cassie as well. He smirked and turned to face his men. They exchanged nods as his men approached the sliding glass door. "Don't touch her, you jerk!" Edward yelled as he opened the door.
"Hey, Edward, watch your tone," Anthony said, pointing the gun at his face. He threw up his hands in defeat. As he watched Anthony's men pick Cassie up and place her on the side of his waist, he smirked. As he restrained her, she began screaming and pushing on his chest.
"What are you doing to my little sister?" Akia exclaimed as she dashed downstairs.
Anthony's men yell back, "Shot up kiddo!" as he points his gun at Akia.
A tear streamed down Edward's cheek, which he quickly wiped away. "Is the tough, all-powerful Edward crying?" Anthony chuckled.
"Do whatever you want to me, but please don't hurt my wife and kids, I beg you," Edward begged. He gave him a suspicious look and noticed someone out of the corner of his eye. Mark was groaning on his back, blood dripping from his lips, and his hair was tangled. Edward returned Anthony's gaze.
"OK, I'll take your offer if" Anthony began, but was interrupted by the sound of a doorbell. "You called the cops?" he exclaimed. He flinched at his abrupt shift in tone.
Both of his hands were on the gun, which was aimed squarely at Edward's chest.
"I didn't, I swear!" he screamed, terrified of being shot. "It's probably not the cops!" he exclaimed.
When he turns around, one of Anthony's men is opening the door. "Put the gun down!" yelled a random cop, holding his gun up as he ran into the house, accompanied by several cops.
Edward felt a pain in his chest after hearing a gunshot. Someone was screaming, but he couldn't tell who because he had collapsed. The screaming had stopped, and it was only then that he realized who it was.
~
"Edward," Cassandra said in his sleep. He mumbled something incomprehensible. "Love, I can't sleep," she explained.
"Thank God," he said emphatically. He climbed on top of her, causing her to burst out laughing. "I've wanted to do this for so long," he says, kissing her on the lips.
The kiss was slow and passionate at first, but then he became rougher. He drew her closer by placing his left hand on her cheek and his right hand on the back of her neck. He paused and removed his shirt. He began kissing her again, this time harder and deeper. They both drew away at the same time as a thunderclap from the storm outside jolted them out of their make-out session. Her gaze moved down to his chest, where she noticed the all-too-familiar circular scar on the right side.
Cassandra mumbled, tracing it with her hand, "I still can't believe he shot you."
"Hey, look at me," he said, and Cassandra obeyed by looking into his eyes. "I'm fine now. The surgery went well, and I'm fully recovered. Those monsters were sentenced to 30 years in prison. We have nothing to worry about. We have two beautiful children. Life is just perfect," he assured me. She smiled and kissed him again on the back of the neck. But there was a knock on the bedroom door just as their lips met.
Cassandra and Edward scrambled off her and sat up in bed. Cassie pushed open the door. "Mommy, we're afraid of storms," she explained. Cassie and Eddie were both crying, she noticed.
"How about your sister?" Cassandra inquires.
"She's already asleep," Cassie replied.
"All right, you two come here," Cassandra said, her and Edward's arms open. When she saw the two run and jump into their arms, she smiled.
"I love you, mom," the two children say as the couple smiles.
"I'm so lucky to have this kind of family," Edward mumbled as he kissed the cheeks of his two children and the forehead of his wife.